11 Best Swimming Earphones

Best Swimming Earphones in 2023

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Best Headphones for Under $100

Audiophiles love audio. Not just music, but anything that is perceived with the ears - movie audio, podcasts, field recordings, etc. Properly rendered audio is like....

If you're in love with audio but can't afford expensive headphones, this article is for you. Below is a list of the best headphones you can buy for less than $100. They aren't as good as what you can get for $500+, but the odds are, you won't notice unless you've ever used cans of that quality. The headphones listed below have a solid build, no static or distortion, low impedance, high bass, and a large frequency range.

Before purchasing headphones, here are some terms you should be familiar with - impedance, frequency, decibel, and aperture drivers. Impedance is essentially how much power it draws - the lower the impedance, the louder and longer you can generally play the headphones. If you're primarily going to listen to a portable audio player, lower impedance is necessary.

Frequency is the range of sounds it can play - the human ear, in general, can only hear about 20HTz - 20Khz - that doesn't mean higher and lower frequencies aren't better, however. The larger the frequency range, the better the audio will be. The lower the hertz, the better the bass and low sounds will be. The higher the kHz, the better and clearer the higher sounds will be.

Decibel is the essentially the power of the bass, or how deep the bass can get. If you listen to hip hop especially, you want to have at less 100db.

Sennheiser HD 280 - stereo, over-ears, 62ohm, 8htz - 25khz, 113db

The Sennheiser HD 280 headphones are closed-cup cans with excellent sound quality for the price. They aren't nearly as heavy as they look, and can be folded to make them smaller and easier to store. There's a cushion on the top of the band and around the ears, making them quite comfortably and fairly easy to forget about.

The cord is curly style, meaning it resembles the cords found on circa 90's telephones. It is a good way to keep the cord size smaller when you are sitting close to the port, but it can make it for difficult to use from a distance, as tension is needed to stretch the cord.

The impedance is at 62ohm, which makes this a more ideal choice for those who will using the headphones with a computer or television, versus a portable player. If they are used for a player, you should use an amp to get a better volume level, and expect shorter battery life.

Overall, the bass in these headphones is deep enough to liquify the brain. At the same time, the treble comes through clear and bright, so you don't feel overwhelmed by the thumping. There is no static, and the sealed cups do an excellent job of not only keeping sound out, but also preventing others from hearing what you're listening to.

Audio Technica ATH-M50 - stereo, 99db, 15hrz - 28khz, 38ohm, gold-plated

The Audio Technica ATH-M50 has a large number of fans, and for good reason. These headphones are cheap when compared to other professional/studio headphones, and offer amazing sound quality for the price.

These headphones sit over the ears, a contrast over the oval-shaped cups that sit around the ears. Some individuals find this style uncomfortable, but in general, they feel okay on the ears. The cups are hinged and can be folded into the band to make them more compact and easier to carry.

The cord is coiled, and isn't as long as you'd expect to find on headphones marketed as being professional and for studios. That doesn't matter, however, if you're looking for general computer usage.

The ATH-M50 are soundproof, and do an excellent job of blocking out external sounds - and this includes loud sounds that many would have trouble blocking. You will truly be isolated in these cans.

The audio quality is excellent - the bass is strong enough to feel in the chest, while the treble is clear and the mid-ranges are strong. There is no static, no distortion, no cord noise.

Koss Portapros - stereo

If you've had any interest in high-quality headphones on the past 20 years, the odds are you've heard of the Koss Portapros. These headphones are easily distinguished from all other headphones with their unique retro sci-fi design - these headphones are seriously sporting the McFly look, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

These headphones are more portable than the two listed above. They don't have the huge foam earpads, and they have a basic metal headband. The drivers sit directly onto the ears with a half inch or so of foam in between. Above the cups are small two small foam pads designed to sit near the temporal areas for maximal comfort.

These headphones have surprisingly good sound quality despite the dubious looks. The frequency is 15hrz to 25khz with 110db. The bass is very deep, and makes listening to hip hop a joyous experience. For instrumental listening, these headphones will probably be a bit disappointing.

The ear cups fold back into the band, so they are very portable, hence the name. They are also durable. If you're an audiophile that happens to enjoy skating or biking, these will work best for you. They are light, extremely comfortable, and the temporal foam pads ensure they won't go flying off your head.

Shure E2c - stereo, 105db, gold-plated, noise canceling.

The Shure E2c are actually earbud headphones, and were thrown into the mix for those who want something a little more discreet for class or for walking around campus. These earbuds are designed to be sound proof, and they do an excellent job of doing just that. They effectively block out all ambient noise, and are perfect for loud blocking out loud noise sources, such as airplane engines, lawn mowers, and crying babies.

The Shure E2c have a unique, flexible ear plug design that resembles those found on other earbud headphones, but is different. The plug is rubbery and can be physically moved from side to side, almost as if it has a hinge. The plug is a little difficult to get into your ear at first, especially if you have small ear canals. Once in, however, these earbuds effectively block noise and are quite comfortable.
As far as sound quality goes, you can't beat these earbuds. The sound is clear and bright, with no distortions or static. The bass is deep, the treble is clear, and songs sound amazing.

Note: Prices are based on a number of different stores. The headphones may cost more from the manufacturer, but can are listed if they can easily be located from different stores for less than $100.